There are, at present, many forms of structures which are employed as containers, receiving boxes and/or hoppers for mining, construction and for other activities involving the transportation of rocks, gravel and ballast from mining deposits or in connection with other industrial activities. These structures are often deployed under various and sometimes very difficult geographic and weather conditions. The variability of the material transported and the surrounding environment can create additional difficulties. For example, materials can vary based upon, among other things, weight, chemical composition and adhesion. Environmental factors such as temperature and humidity also come into play.
In general, the design and construction of these boxes or containers do not specifically address the particular characteristics of the application for which the they are intended. For example, design and construction does not generally take into account the weight or adhesion of the material to be transported or the environment in which such containers or boxes are to be used. Most designs differ only by the particular shape, and such designs are based on technical specifications and design parameters that have not significantly varied over time. Similarly, the type of material with which such structures are built has not significantly changed over the years. These structures are and have been almost exclusively formed from steel in its different formats and characteristics.
On the other hand, industrial activity in general, and construction activity and mining applications in particular have changed over the years in response to, among other things, a global drive to reduce operating costs by investing in and developing programs leading to processes and inputs with the greatest technological advantage, which may in turn lead to a lower cost for products and services and towards environment-friendly solutions.
The great distances to be traveled by trucks when transporting ore for processing and storing require a strong and generally wear resistant structure for holding the material. Additionally, quality and safety and the efficacy and durability of the structure for holding various materials including ore are currently critical to overall success in these specific lines of business.
At present, the aforementioned structures, container boxes and hoppers are for the most part built entirely with steel plates. The steels used are of different strengths and thicknesses which together and in various combinations make up the universe of available structures. Unfortunately with this approach, various drawbacks exist with respect to particular applications. One particular problem is the resulting non-uniform distribution of the material transported over the structure's body which eventually generates an excess wear of the truck's tires. Another unsolved problem is the effect of the stresses on the steel due to impact and abrasion conditions, both in the filling and pouring of materials into the container boxes. Problems that can arise during filling operations can result in time and resources being lost due to the required maintenance processes designed to enhance the life of the structures as well ensure safety and other desirable operating characteristics.
Additionally, design problems and the nature of steel as a material typically results in large numbers of impacts high degrees of noise resulting during loading and transport. Also, depending on the external environment and the material's humidity content, with current steel hoppers, the material transported can sometimes become bonded or adhered to the steel structure of the hopper, thus dramatically reducing efficiency in connection with the unloading of the material. Regular maintenance work is required to be performed on these steel structures as a result of damages from impacts and abrasion to the metal surfaces.